New mobile food pantry rolls into mid-Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY - A new mobile food pantry is looking to address a one million pound food shortage in the mid-Missouri area.

The truck is the result of the United Way of Central Missouri partnering up with the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.

Ann Bax, President of the United Way of Central Missouri said the partnership came about after data revealed that food was being left on pantry shelves as the result of people's inability to access the assistance, creating a mass shortage of food among those in need.

"It's an accumulation of years of study about the disparity between the poverty in Cole County and the amount of food that's being put out in the community to hungry people," Bax said.

According to Bax, the purpose of the truck is to close this gap in need that was created by geographical barriers. The truck will hold around 10,000 pounds of food and on average will serve 350-400 people.

Dewaldon Frazier of the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri will be the driver of the truck. He said he couldn't more excited about the new truck.

"I love getting out and I love driving and I love meeting new people, so I love the whole concept of what they do with the mobile truck, getting out and giving food to needy people," Frazier said.

The truck will join three other mobile food pantries that are already serving 32 counties in mid-Missouri. Frazier cites the addition as an absolute necessity.

"I think it'll be crucial in filling a certain gap in the community that have economically fallen on maybe some hard times and having difficulty stretching their dollars and making it through the month," Frazier said. "It's all about inspiring, encouraging, and allowing people to just to be encouraged that there's other people out there thinking about them and are willing to jump in and help."